The US Wants to Get the Missiles Off the Island

President Kennedy discussed the matter in a phone call with the British Prime Minister, Harold McMillan. The United States was making preparations to invade Cuba and replace its leader Fidel Castro. American forces were at DEF CON 2, one step away from nuclear war. Nikita Khrushchev moved to break the deadlock when he rushed off a letter to President Kennedy saying if the US would promise not to invade Cuba, there would be no need for the weapons to stay there.